


Serenity

by relucant



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Borderline underage, Harvelle's Roadhouse, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Teenagers, implied prostitution
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-02-28
Packaged: 2018-03-15 14:19:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3450257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/relucant/pseuds/relucant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So," Cas said, downing his drink in one, and his face burned.  "How much?"</p><p>The guy blinked at him.  "Dude," he said, reaching out a tentative hand.  "No.  That's not what -- shit, that isn't --"</p><p>Cas stared at him for a moment, wishing the ground would swallow him.  "I'm so sorry," he whispered.  He stood up and turned away, but a warm hand caught him around the wrist.</p><p>"Hey," he said, tugging him back down.  "Are you in trouble?"</p><p>Cas snorted, dropping his head onto his arms.  "Yes."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Serenity

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea where this is going. it wrote itself in my head, so I figured I'd post it. let me know what you think, please!

Castiel slipped into the Roadhouse, wedging himself against the bar, and ordered a Jack and Coke. The bartender eyed him suspiciously -- a small woman with dark hair and a stern, kind face -- then slid him a tall glass of cola with a tiny sharp bite to it.

He glanced around the patrons, wondering how the hell to tell which might help him pay for another week in the shitty motel in exchange for a hot wet mouth, and which might leave him dead in the alley.

A tall guy with dirty blonde hair and apple-green eyes slid onto the stool next to him, flagging down the bartender.

"Whiskey, woman!" he yelled, and Cas bristled, but the bartender just threw a dishrag at the guy's head with a smile.

"Don't you _woman_ me, boy," she called. She stomped back with a tumbler in her hand, then dropped a kiss on his forehead.

He turned on his bar stool. "New face, huh? I usually notice the pretty ones."

Cas flushed. "I suppose," he said, trying to keep his voice steady, and took a deep breath. "You -- you think I'm pretty?"

The golden guy cocked his head, his tumbler paused halfway to his mouth. "Well… yeah," he said, sipping at it consideringly. "I mean…. you gotta know you are."

"So," Cas said, downing his drink in one, and his face burned. "How much?"

The guy blinked at him. "Dude," he said, reaching out a tentative hand. "No. That's not what -- shit, that isn't --"

Cas stared at him for a moment, wishing the ground would swallow him. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. He stood up and turned away, but a warm hand caught him around the wrist.

"Hey," he said, tugging him back down. "Are you in trouble?"

Cas snorted, dropping his head onto his arms. "Yes."

"Legal?"

"No. I just…" He trailed off.

"What's your name?"

"Castiel. Cas."

"Hey, Cas. I'm Dean." Dean tilted his head. "I'm kinda guessin' you need a job."

Cas' eyes flicked up to Dean's. "I'm seventeen, Dean. And homeless. So yes, I do, but I'm not about to find one."

"Can you wash dishes?"

"What? -- Yes, of course."

"Are you on drugs?" Dean asked, in a gentle tone. "It's okay, I just --"

"No, I'm not on drugs," Cas said, insulted. He drew his thin sweater around himself, hunching over. "I appreciate your kindness, but I don't need your pity."

To his surprise, Dean just snorted. "Dude, you need a job. And _I_ need somebody to help me in the kitchen after Gordon quit the other day." He paused, chewing his lip, then shrugged. "I got good vibes about you. I mean, if you steal or fuck up badly, I'll bounce you, but if you're willing…"

"Yes," Cas said, too eager, and cleared his throat. "Is this then -- is this your bar?"

Dean blinked at him, then laughed. "Dude, I'm still a few months shy of being able to drink," he said, then picked up his whiskey with a wink. "Legally." He tossed back his drink and cracked his neck. "But I've helped out Bobby and Ellen for years, an' they'll trust me."

"You don't know me," Cas said softly, staring at his hands.

"I don't," Dean agreed. "And if you fuck me over in any way I'll kick you out the door. So don't."

"I won't," Cas said. "When should I come in?"

"Five o'clock tomorrow work? It's only Tuesday, dinner shift should be pretty slow." Cas nodded, trying to slip out the door, but Dean caught him.

"Hey, Cas!" he called. "I'm -- uh, taking my break. Come out back?"

Cas exhaled and followed, finding Dean leaning against a low brick wall and thumbing at his phone.

"I told you I don't want your pity," he mumbled.

"How about a roommate?" Dean asked, still poking away.

"I," Cas said, alarmed. "My, uh… 'people skills' are 'rusty'."

Dean looked up then, then grinned. "Then you'll be perfect for Charlie, the little nerd," he said. "Her roommate just moved out."

"But you know I --"

"Look, Cas, I'm not gonna guarantee she likes you. But if she does, we can dock your check for a couple months and take the rent out. If you stick around it'll balance out and if you don't it won't matter anyway."

Cas paused, chewing on his lip. "I don't understand," he confessed. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I'm a bit…"

"Wary?" Dean finished, and he nodded. "Yeah, I don't blame you. Random dude you just propositioned at a bar suddenly wants to take you in? Kinda sketchball soap opera material right there."

Cas flinched. He opened his mouth to apologize again, but Dean waved him off.

"Listen," he began. He looked at Cas consideringly for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. "Sure ain't the first time I been propositioned by some cute twink lookin' to make a quick buck. You think about how I knew you were in trouble right off, not just jonesin' for a hit?"

Cas stared at him, and then it clicked. "You've been there."

"You got it," Dean acknowledged. "I've known Ellen since I was a kid, sometimes she'd slip me some extra burgers when shit was tight. But sometimes my baby brother needed food when there wasn't any food to be had. Or sometimes just a place to sleep."

"No parents?" Cas asked curiously, then cringed. "Sorry, I didn't --"

"Dead and out of the picture," Dean said shortly. "Anyway, I was fourteen when Ellen caught me on my knees in the bar's bathroom."

" _Fourteen_ \--?"

"Mm-hmm," Dean agreed. "Man, she whooped my ass into next Tuesday. Then she threw an apron at me, told me to go get Sam and start learnin' how to cook."

Cas snorted, surprised. "So, what, you're paying back karma?"

Dean shrugged. "I guess. If Ellen hadn't dragged me in, I'd be dead, or worse. So like… I get you bein' wary, I do. And if you wanna peace out, I ain't gonna stop you. I just wanted you to know that it ain't pity, and I don't expect anything. Except work, if you come on board. Just, you know. Not a stranger to desperation. If I can do for you what Ellen did for me, well… I'd be kind of a dick not to, right?"

Cas blinked up at him. "You -- you're for real," he said in a whisper.

"Well, yeah, I mean, I ain't lyin', we really _do_ need a dishwasher," Dean said. "So I figured…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, even if I'm wrong about you, ain't much you could make off with in the kitchen of a roadhouse bar anyway."

"I wouldn't --" Cas said, indignant, but Dean smiled at him.

"Just don't worry too much that I'm taking a huge risk hiring you or anything. I like you, Cas, but I ain't stupid."

Cas felt like he should be offended, but something relaxed in his throat.

"Thank you," he managed, hugging himself.

"You got a place to stay tonight?" Dean asked.

"For tonight," Cas replied. "Until Friday."

"Huh," Dean said. "If it's cool with you, I'll get Charlie in here tomorrow, see if she approves. You like Star Wars or Star Trek?"

Cas blinked at him. "I, uh. I've never seen either."

"Oh shit," Dean said, laughing. "She's either gonna hate you at the start or drag you to her living room immediately."

Cas cringed again, and Dean nudged him. "Dude. You're seventeen, right?"

"Barely," Cas said.

"I'm twenty. Charlie's nineteen in a month. You aren't -- you don't have to be alone." He held up his phone. "Gonna text Charlie, is that all right?"

"I -- yes," Cas murmured, ducking his head. "Um -- I'm going to go now, if that's all right? It's been -- I'm a little --"

"A'course, Cas," Dean assured him. "You come back tomorrow, we'll get you introduced around proper. Get you a paper trail and everything for the job if you want."

Cas looked at the ground. "Thank you, Dean," he said softly.

The next day he paced back and forth outside the building before finally pushing inside, standing awkwardly in the doorway. Dean looked up and caught sight of him, and his face broke out in a grin.

"You came back!" he called, striding to the door. "OK, gonna introduce you around. Sorry in advance." He dragged Cas behind the bar. "First thing's first. This is Ellen."

"Hello, Ellen," Cas said shyly, extending his hand.

She squinted at him. "You were the kid here --" Dean glared at her, and she raised her eyebrows. "Well, I got no beef with you, and if Dean trusts you -- welcome to the Roadhouse, kid." She shook his hand, and he smiled at her, small and genuine.

"Thank you," he said, glancing at his knees. "I am grateful."

"What's up, bitches?" sang a cheerful voice from the door. "Where's my potential roommate to be?"

"Oh, God, Charlie," Dean said, dropping his head to his hand. "Do you have _any_ tact?"

"Nope," she declared, then dragged a bar stool next to Cas. "Damn, he _is_ dreamy. Too bad I don't swing that way. Dean, on the other hand…"

Dean groaned. "We're considering roommate arrangements, _not_ matchmaking. And before you ask, he's never seen Star Wars or Star Trek."

Charlie stared at Cas, aghast, and he shrugged.

"I like Firefly?" he ventured in a small voice, and a grin spread across her face.

"Yeah, you?" she announced, leaning back and picking up her beer. "You, I think I can work with."

"Fantastic," Dean sighed, but he was smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> find me at [tumblr](http://relucant.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/relucanting). I'm nice.


End file.
